MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government are aware of any agreement between the Russian and Persian Governments to prevent for a certain number of years the construction of railways in Persia by other than Russian subjects; if so, do they know what is the period stipulated, and whether the prohibition extends to Persian subjects: and whether any correspondence on the subject can be presented to Parliament.
§ LORD CRANBORNEThere is reason to believe that an agreement has been in existence for some years past between the Russian and Persian Governments under which the latter undertook to defer until a future date the construction of railways in Persia, whether by foreigners or Persians, but the hon. Member's description of it is, I believe, in other respects inaccurate. His Majesty's Government were not parties 988 to the agreement, and have incurred no obligation in connection with it. They have, however, taken steps to secure that whenever railway construction is commenced in Persia adequate opening shall be afforded to British capital and enterprise. There is no correspondence that can be presented.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government is aware that any negotiation is being carried on or has been concluded between Persia and Russia for the construction of a railway under Russian supervision from the Caspian or some other point on the Russian frontier to-some point on the Persian Gulf; whether Russia is to have the right to construct a military or commercial port on the Persian Gulf; whether Russia has subsidised any steam company to trade between Russian ports and ports on the Persian Gulf; and whether Papers will be laid before Parliament dealing with these questions, and showing the steps taken by the British and Indian Governments to preserve the status quo in the Persian Gulf in face of competition from the new German railway to Bussorah, and from Russian enterprises in Persia.
§ LORD CRANBORNEWe understand that the Russian Government are giving assistance to certain steamers trading between Russia and the Gulf. The answers to all the other Questions of the hon. Gentleman are to the best of our information in the negative. We have no present intention of laying Papers.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government are aware that the Russian Government are negotiating or have concluded an agreement to make or guarantee a loan to Persia of £1,250,000; whether, among the conditions of that loan, it is stipulated that Russia shall have the right to make a road or railway from Tabriz to Teheran, and that a portion of the proceeds of the loan shall be expended by Persia in constructing forts that will dominate the new commercial road from British India to Northern 989 Persia by Quetta and Seistan; and whether he will lay upon the Table any Papers relating to this subject.
§ LORD CRANBORNEWe understand that negotiations are in progress for a loan from the Russian Banque des Prêts at Teheran to the Persian Government. We are not acquainted with the details, but a concession for a road (not a railway) from Tabriz to Teheran is said to be one of the conditions. We have no reason to believe in the existence of the other condition which the hon. Gentleman mentions. We have no Papers we can lay before the House on the subject.